Tried the letter. Tried everything but court (which I'm trying to avoid). Besides, I think they need to be tried in 'the court of public opinion.' Although I'd like my $7500 back, there are two bigger issues at stake: a) Dolce Vita shouldn't have the satisfaction of keeping it, and b) I am...

You lost me at "10 bachelor units." IMO, bachelor units have a small tenant pool where you would either get a lower profile or a very high turnover.

And let me make it perfectly clear: this is NOT Dolce Vita's money and never was. This is MY money Dolce was holding to pay the landscaper for work on MY properties. The landscaper has agreed for the money to go to me instead of to him. And yet Dolce continues to hold it.

Yes, they required us to use their 'preferred' contractor, but then took no responsibility for their work and told us the deal was between us and the contractor and they had nothing to do with it. If a builder is going to force a client to use his contractor, he should inform the client before...

The repair quote from our landscaper was $9600. (Always more expensive to fix a bad job than do the job correctly in the first place.) The landscaping contractor already agreed the money (that was originally destined to be paid to him) could be returned to us. I don't understand why Dolce Vita...

Actually, that is not the case at all. This is a holdback rather than a deposit. We paid $4900 per property (times 3) to have the landscaping included in our packages, and the $2500 per property was our holdback to ensure landscaping was completed to a professional standard (since the builder...

Dolce Vita Homes has refused to return our $7500 landscaping holdback unless we sign a "release form" (which reads like a "gag order"). We wouldn't sign their original release because it could have potentially limited our rights and available recourse should we have further issues with the...

Thanks to everyone who mentioned me. :) Sorry for joining the conversation so late. RTO can be a great option for someone ready to buy a property but who doesn't quite qualify with the bank. It especially makes sense in a rising market where one can lock in to a price and not gamble on how...

I've heard mixed reviews about "Velocity Banking." I've also heard it is sometimes tied to what amounts to a Multi Level Marketing program. One should use extra caution whenever someone is making money from referrals. The Smith Maneuver works well for investors. Ensure your personal mortgage...

The response to this report has been overwhelming. Lots of great feedback and landlording questions submitted. In addition to the report, I've added a video to answer some of the questions I received. Please check it out.

In Alberta, you may only serve on an adult believed to reside in the premises. To post the notice, you post to the main door to the suite rather than the main door to the building. Sent from my SM-G950W using myREINspace mobile app

Thanks, Tina. (That sleuthing presentation was especially fun to do. I'll be presenting it again online in the next couple of months.)

I use TVS, and REIN members do indeed get a discount. But we go a lot further than that. I did a couple of REIN presentations last year on screening and fraud detection. Perhaps you'd like to check them out in the "back office." Sorry, but I can't remember which months. (Help me, Tina?)...

Edmonton, obviously. That's where all the really cool people invest. ;) I'd be happy to chat more about it. Feel free to message me.

I agree with the anonymous post. Here's our procedure: 1) Hire a sniffer dog to determine all affected areas. 2) Heat treat those units and areas. Yes, heat treatment is more expensive but a reputable heat treatment company will guarantee results with one treatment and will retreat for free...

Greetings, all. Between camping and working on a new branch to my business, I've been largely absent for the past few months, and I apologize for that. After Wednesday's Edmonton REIN meeting (which I missed because my daughter had a volleyball game and I wanted to watch - she was awesome, in...

It may not be as bad as it seems. In some cases, major repairs are done in advance of the reserve study requirements, meaning the reserve fund is depleted ahead of schedule but that major repair is done and won't require the funds at the scheduled time. For example: a $200k roof replacement...

Perhaps the reason many people think discount realtors are a good idea is because they have worked with (or heard tell of) substandard realtors in the past. In every industry, there are top performers, there are those who do the absolute least amount of work possible in order to still get paid...

Two tenants chain-smoking in a 1000 square foot unit can make the place bleed yellow within 6 months. This will require oil-based primer on every surface of the property in addition to a full repaint. Where a regular 1-coat repaint could have cost you about $1500, primer plus two coats...

In which province is this? In Alberta, the Condominium Property Act prohibits restrictions on rentals. While the Condo Corporation may have bylaws restricting rentals, they are unenforceable in Alberta because they contradict the Act.